The Lynx fought to the end, but it ultimately wasn’t enough

The Minnesota Lynx fought admirably. If PHX Arena was the set for a movie, it’s likely the script writers would have written them a victorious ending. But real life is not the cinema, and some hills are just too large to summit.

Minnesota’s season came to an end Sunday night at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury, the team who may very well be the new favorites to win the title. The Mercury, who struggled at times with injuries during the regular season but are finally healthy entering the title round, are not the average fourth seed. Led by perennial MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas and burgeoning star Satou Sabally, Phoenix proved their power over the course of the series’ four games.

But losing to a great team doesn’t make the pain of coming up short sting any less for the team that won’t advance.

“In pro sports, it doesn’t get any better than what we have in our locker room,” Lynx guard Kayla McBride said after the game through tears. “It’s hard, especially when you lay everything out there.”

McBride had arguably one of the best games in her career in her season finale, leading all scorers with 31 points on 6-of-11 shooting from three. Minnesota needed a resolute showing from their unheralded guard, with Napheesa Collier out following an ankle injury suffered in the final seconds of game three. Collier was on the bench in a walking boot, as was guard DiJonai Carrington, who was acquired at the trade deadline to provide stout defense and wing depth.

(The Lynx did not respond to The Next’s inquiry about the diagnosis of Collier’s ankle injury, but Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile reported prior to the game that she did not suffer a fracture, as was speculated by head coach Cheryl Reeve after the game. Reeve was suspended for game four following her comments denigrating the referees).  

Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?

Subscribe now to The IX Sports and receive our daily women’s sports newsletter covering soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers. That includes Basketball Wednesday from founder and editor Howard Megdal.

Readers of The IX Basketball now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.

Outside of a 12-1 run to start the game and a 20-9 run to start the second half, Minnesota was outscored 76-49. While it’s often said that basketball is a game of runs, relying on such streakiness is a tough road to plow on the way to victory. 

Yet plow away they did. Phoenix, particularly Thomas, is known for being among the most physical teams in the league. It was clear from the opening tip that the Mercury wanted to continue what ultimately started during their second-half comeback in game two: dictate the play on the court through physicality and take advantage of the Lynx’s vulnerabilities. Phoenix made the game physical and gritty. Minnesota kept absorbing the punches and throwing a couple back themselves.

However, the haymaker came with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when DeWanna Bonner buried a 35-foot jumper, putting the Mercury up four. McBride, as she was wont to do all night, responded with a deep three of her own two possessions later, trimming the lead back to one. But Bonner responded yet again by drawing a foul on Alanna Smith with 42 seconds left. She converted both free throws, and Phoenix’s lead never dropped lower than three for the remainder of the game.

Minnesota deserves a ton of credit for the fight they showed against what many said would be, and what ultimately were, insurmountable odds. They did not back down from the Mercury’s physicality, but in the end, they simply ran out of juice.  

“Shout out to [Phoenix] for playing hard fought basketball,” Lynx guard Courtney Williams said. “And shout out to us for not giving up.”

Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%

Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. “Rare Gems” follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.

If you enjoy Megdal’s coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout to save 30%!